Those who associate [others with God] say, "If God had so willed we would not have worshipped anything besides Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything without His sanction." So did those who went before them. The duty of the messengers is only to convey the message clearly. 35 Indeed, We sent forth among every nation a Messenger saying: 'Serve you God, and eschew idols.' Then some of them God guided, and some were justly disposed to error. So journey in the land, and behold how was the end of them that cried lies. 36 Even if you are eager to guide them, God does not surely guide those who have gone astray: They will have no one to help them. 37 They strongly swear by God that God will not bring the dead to life. God's promise (of the Resurrection) will certainly come true but many people do not know. 38 so that He may make clear to them that whereon they were at variance, and that the unbelievers may know that they were truly liars. 39 And Our command for anything to occur, when We will it, is that We only say to it, “Be” – and it thereupon happens. 40